Essendon West
Household income in the 89th percentile nationally, a $1,825,000 median house price, and 46.3% of residents holding university qualifications mark Essendon West as one of Melbourne's established premium pockets. Covering only 1.03 square kilometres with 1,559 residents, the suburb is compact yet dense at 1,519 per square kilometre. House prices have risen 153.5% since 2013, a 6.9% compound annual rate that outpaces most Victorian benchmarks. The population grew 19% over the decade, driven almost entirely by overseas migration at a net 95 arrivals per year, while internal migration runs negative at minus 16 annually, suggesting locals who leave are replaced by internationally mobile professionals.
Population
1,559
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,338/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$1.8M
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price reached $1,825,000 in April to June 2024, up from $1,160,000 in late 2023, a 57% rise across just three recorded quarters. Separate houses account for 67% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 32.4%, so the market is predominantly freestanding stock rather than apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 46.2% of dwellings, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 35.5%, reflecting a family-oriented housing mix. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,682, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, which is below the 30% stress threshold despite a premium price point. Outright owners (37.3%) and mortgage holders (36.1%) are nearly equal in number, indicating a stable tenure base rather than speculative turnover.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,825,000 in April to June 2024, up from $1,160,000 in late 2023, a 57% rise across just three recorded quarters. Separate houses account for 67% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 32.4%, so the market is predominantly freestanding stock rather than apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 46.2% of dwellings, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 35.5%, reflecting a family-oriented housing mix. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,682, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, which is below the 30% stress threshold despite a premium price point. Outright owners (37.3%) and mortgage holders (36.1%) are nearly equal in number, indicating a stable tenure base rather than speculative turnover.
For Investors
Renters make up 26.6% of residents, a moderate share compared to inner-city benchmarks, with weekly rent at $450. The vacancy rate is 8.2%, above typical healthy-market thresholds of around 3%, which signals some softness in rental demand that prospective landlords should weigh. Overseas migration adds a net 95 people per year, the primary population growth driver, which supports longer-term rental demand as new arrivals typically rent before purchasing. Only 3 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, meaning new supply is minimal and existing stock is unlikely to be diluted. The compound annual price growth rate of 6.9% over 14 years from $720,000 in 2013 to $1,825,000 in 2024 reflects strong capital appreciation for long-hold investors.
Development Activity
Total DAs
11
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age is 39, just one year below the national figure. University qualifications reach 46.3%, which is 16.2 percentage points above the national average, the largest positive gap in the comparisons data. Overseas-born residents account for 21.5%, essentially at the national rate (0.1 percentage points below). Ancestry leans Anglo-Italian: English (398), Italian (288), Irish (200) and Greek (82) are the leading groups, with Italian the top non-English language at 34 speakers, followed by Greek (21) and Arabic (20). The volunteering rate of 15.1% is consistent with a professionally employed, community-engaged population. Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above the national figure, reflecting the prevalence of families, with couples with children (585) outnumbering couples without children (226) by more than 2.5 to 1.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.0%
Houses
32.4%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The price record runs 14 years from $720,000 in 2013 to $1,825,000 in April to June 2024, a 153.5% total gain. The compound annual growth rate of 6.9% over that period is well above the national long-run average for residential property. Tenure is balanced: 37.3% own outright, 36.1% carry a mortgage and 26.6% rent, a pattern typical of premium suburbs where established wealth and active accumulation coexist. The stock is 67% separate houses and 32.4% semi-detached, with apartments essentially absent. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.2% and 4-plus bedroom homes 35.5%, so large family homes make up over 80% of the dwelling stock. Rent-to-income at 19.2% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 26.5% stays in manageable territory despite the high median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,682
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,040
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
51
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.3%
Couples, no children
1,303
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads local industry at 13.9% of employed residents (85 workers), followed closely by Education at 12.6% (77), Professional and Technical services at 12.4% (76) and Healthcare at 11.9% (73). Finance at 7.5% (46 workers) rounds out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (252) and Managers (169) together account for the majority of the workforce, consistent with the SEIFA IEO decile 8 score for education and occupation advantage, placing the suburb in the top 20% nationally on those measures. The unemployment rate is 3.2% and the full-time employment rate is 67.3%, with 536 residents working full-time. Personal weekly income averages $1,040 and family weekly income $2,925, both considerably higher than state medians.
Unemployment
1.7%
Labour Force
4,953
Unemployed
82
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.3%
Part-time
29.5%
Participation
63.8%
Employed
796
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.3%
Postgraduate
12.2%
Born Overseas
21.5%
Dwellings
578
Transport to Work
Essendon West is car-dependent: 87.8% of residents drive to work, with only 3.4% using public transport and 3.0% walking or cycling. The IRSAD decile of 8 places the suburb in the top 20% nationally for relative socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage, and the IRSD decile of 9 means very few residents face deprivation indicators. Crime totalled 67 incidents in the recorded period, a rate of 43.0 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 42 of those. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Essendon and Moonee Ponds, which are nearby. The housing stress indicators are favourable: rent-to-income at 19.2% and mortgage-to-income at 26.5% are both below the 30% threshold, and only 4.5% of residents (67 people) need daily assistance.
Drive
87.8%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.18%/yr
(+95 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 19% over the decade to around 8,048 in 2025 and is forecast to reach approximately 8,569 by 2031 under the medium trend scenario, adding around 95 people per year. Overseas migration is the primary driver at a net 95 arrivals annually, while internal migration is negative at minus 16 per year, meaning the suburb retains internationally mobile residents rather than interstate movers. The gentrification score of 45 places the suburb in an active gentrification stage, supported by signals including 24% population growth since 2011 and real income growth of 25.7% over the period. Rent has grown 31.8% since the benchmark period. Affordability has improved from 52.0% in 2011 to 44.3% in 2021, meaning housing costs consume a lower share of income than a decade ago, which is a positive signal for long-term demand.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+95
Net Internal / yr
-16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +24% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
67
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
43.0
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Essendon West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Essendon West a good suburb to live in?
Essendon West ranks in the IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9 nationally, placing it in the top 10-20% for socioeconomic advantage. Household income sits in the 89th percentile nationally. University qualifications reach 46.3%, which is 16.2 points above national. The main trade-off is a $1,825,000 median house price and an 8.2% vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Essendon West?
The median house price is $1,825,000 as of April to June 2024. Prices rose from $720,000 in 2013, a 153.5% total gain at a 6.9% compound annual rate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,682, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Essendon West?
No schools are recorded inside the Essendon West boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers just 1.03 square kilometres, so families access schools in neighbouring Essendon and Moonee Ponds. Locally, 46.3% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 16.2 points above the national average.
Is Essendon West safe?
The recorded crime rate is 43.0 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 67 total incidents. Property and deception offences account for 42 of those, while crimes against the person numbered 9. The IRSD decile of 9 places the suburb in the top 10% nationally for low relative disadvantage, which correlates with lower crime risk.
Is Essendon West good for property investment?
The 6.9% compound annual price growth over 14 years, from $720,000 in 2013 to $1,825,000 in 2024, supports the capital growth case. Rent is $450 per week, yielding modestly against the high price. The 8.2% vacancy rate is above the healthy threshold of around 3%, which is a caution flag. Overseas migration at a net 95 per year underpins long-run demand.
How is Essendon West's population changing?
The population grew 19% over the decade and reached approximately 8,048 in 2025. Medium forecasts project around 8,569 residents by 2031 at roughly 95 additional people per year. Overseas migration is the primary driver at a net 95 arrivals annually, while internal migration is negative at minus 16 per year.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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